frustrating

adjective

frus·​trat·​ing ˈfrə-ˌstrā-tiŋ 

: causing feelings of anger and annoyance : tending to produce or characterized by frustration

a frustrating delay

a very frustrating experience

Mischel concludes that having the willpower to wait isn't about being stoic. It's about learning techniques that make waiting less frustrating.

—Pamela Druckerman

frustratingly adverb

a frustratingly slow process

The book is sprawling and self-indulgent. Most frustratingly, it is almost entirely devoid of serious military analysis.

—Hew Strachan

Synonyms

• annoying
• irritating
• disturbing

Examples of frustrating in a Sentence

All these delays have been very frustrating.

these daily traffic jams are frustrating

Recent Examples on the Web

Bonds Ranch Road in far north Fort Worth is notoriously frustrating for its traffic congestion, roundabouts and train crossings. —Ella Gonzales, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 3 Oct. 2025

What happened and how frustrating was that one to lose? —Nick Caruso, TVLine, 2 Oct. 2025

Despite the frustrating year, Clark's future in Indiana is extremely bright. —Evan Massey, MSNBC Newsweek, 2 Oct. 2025

After some frustrating moments over the middle of the field this season, Coen confined Thomas to routes outside the numbers Sunday. —Derrik Klassen, New York Times, 1 Oct. 2025

Word History

First Known Use

1871, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for frustrating

• abating
• awaiting
• berating
• castrating
• chelating
• collating
• conflating
• creating
• debating
• deflating
• derating
• dictating

Kids Definition

frustrating

adjective

: producing frustration

a frustrating delay

frustratingly adverb